Coconut: Harvesting and Processing

Except where a harvest of ripe nuts (as opposed to ‘green’ or not fully ripe ones) was required, and these were of kinds which drop off the tree when ready, harvesting was a dangerous business. A man would have to climb the straight, unbranched, tall palm, using a rope or leather loop as a safety device while ascending and to steady himself while gathering at the top of the palm. Accidents were frequent. The employment of trained monkeys to do the job, referred to earlier, was only possible in a few places and on a small scale.